Top 10 Best Bands and Singers of 2010

2010 was another great year for superstar singers and bands that rocked America. From Lady Gaga to Muse, my choices for the 10 best bands and singers in 2010 represent a variety of musical genres. Some of these groups may be familiar to you, others may not. I'll provide links to each of them so you can decide for yourself if they belong on your playlist.

Lady Gaga- She ignites controversy in a variety of ways. Wearing meat dresses and speaking out against the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy were just two of her news making issues in 2010. Despite the controversies, Lady Gaga is loaded with talent as a singer, songwriter, piano player and performer. She received seven Grammy nominations for her work in 2010. All of her "little monsters" will agree that Lady Gaga's CD's are worth the listen.

Katy Perry- Perry takes a lot of grief for singing songs that appeal to teenagers, but there is no denying the woman knows how to make a hit song. Her 2010 album Teenage Dream has produced two hit songs, "California Gurls" and "Teenage Dream". A new song called "Firework" is a bit more political and less about scoring a big dance hit. She secured four Grammy nominations for 2010 and a husband as well.

Lady Antebellum- This country group has taken the radio airwaves and the music industry by storm. They started with a great 2009 and continued that trend in 2010 with #1 singles and a new album called Our Kind of Love. This talented trio received two Grammy nominations for their 2010 work and won Best Country Performance by Duo or Group for 2009. They are amongst the growing number of cross over groups that are considered both country and pop.

Pink- So what, she's still a rock star! This incredibly talented singer just doesn't fit into one genre of music. She is pop, rock, R&B, a little punk and a plenty of dance. Pink has two Grammy awards and 5 MTV Video Music Awards. She is one of my favorite singers/performers ever. She released her newest album, Greatest Hits...So Far!! in November 2010 and a new song on the album, "Raise Your Glass" went straight up the charts.

Muse- This alternate rock band has been featured on every Twilight film soundtrack. How did they get that gig? The Twilight books are written by Stephenie Meyer who just happens to be a huge fan of Muse. Muse has been touring worldwide in 2010 and will be working on a new album in 2011. They have been nominated for three Grammy awards in 2010, including Rock Album of the Year.

Bruno Mars- My favorite new singer is from the hip-hop and R&B genre of music. Bruno Mars first solo album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans produced the hit song, "Just the Way You Are". I love his CD and it certainly has the ability to produce more hit singles. Bruno Mars was nominated for seven Grammy awards in 2010.

Rihanna- She made quite the comeback after her much publicized domestic violence case with former boyfriend Chris Brown. Rihanna has three Grammy awards and has been nominated once again this year. Her new album Loud was released in November 2010 to rave reviews by critics. The album has already produced two #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

Brandon Flowers- As a fan of The Killers I really have enjoyed the solo sounds of their lead singer, Brandon Flowers. He has an Indie Rock/alternate rock sound on his first solo album, Flamingo which was released in 2010. He's been a bigger hit in the UK than America so far, but he is a hit with me. His single, "Crossfire" has been followed up by another great song called "Only the Young". If you haven't heard his sound yet, give him a listen.

Neon Trees- This American band has been described as new wave meets alternate rock. To me they sound like a mix between Depeche Mode and The Cure, two groups I have loved for years. Their 2010 album is called Habits and one of the best songs of 2010 is "Animal" by Neon Trees. "Sins of my Youth" and "1983" are two more terrific songs on this must have album. I expect to hear a lot more from this talented band.

Arcade Fire- They are an Indie rock group from Canada that put out a wonderful album in 2010 called, The Suburbs. This was the bands third album and was much anticipated by their faithful fans. I love the sound of this whole CD and I think you will love it too.

Often time's people don't branch out and listen to different genres of music they are not familiar with or think they won't like. Don't be one of those people. There are so many great bands and singers all over the world that it would be a shame to limit yourself to just one type of music. I hope you enjoyed my list of the top 10 bands and singers of 2010.

Related Articles by Sherri Thornhill:

20 Great Songs with People's Names in the Title

Bruno Mars Doo-Wops & Hooligans CD Review

Divorce Party Music: 10 Perfect Songs for a Divorce Party

Road Trip Songs: 10 Great Rock-N-Roll Road Trip Songs

Source: The author's opinion and each of the bands websites.